World War II Henry Hartley (8 May 1884 – 6 March 1953) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy who reached the rank of rear admiral.

He attended the public schools in Bladensburg and enlisted the United States Navy at the age of 16 on 1 February 1901, as Apprentice seaman 3rd Class, the lowest rank at the time.

[1][2] He subsequently took part in the further training aboard frigates Constellation and Essex and during the following years, he received naval education through correspondence courses in English and Navigation.

He then served successively aboard destroyers and cruisers Bagley, Chauncey, Buffalo, St. Louis, North Carolina, Montana until 1915 and reached the rank of Chief Gunner's mate.

Hartley completed this duty in September 1917 and received temporary appointment to the rank of ensign shortly after the United States' entry into World War I.

He was then ordered to Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts, for duty in connection with fitting out of the submarine chaser USS SC-253 and assumed command when commissioned in October 1917.

Hartley served in this capacity aboard flagship Jouett until September 1918 when he was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) and assumed command of submarine chaser USS SC-342.

Hartley assumed command of Eagle Boat PE-60, when she was commissioned in October 1919 and brought her to the Engineering Experiment Station at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, in early 1920.

He was promoted to the permanent rank of lieutenant in August 1920 and assumed duty as executive officer of station ship Reina Mercedes under Captain Rufus F. Zogbaum Jr.

Hartley worked as a part of the salvage team under then-captain Ernest King and Lieutenant Commander Edward Ellsberg until 5 July 1926, when S-51 was finally raised.

[1][7][8][9][10][11] Two years later, Hartley and Falcon were ordered to Provincetown, Massachusetts, for salvage of submarine USS S-4 which was accidentally rammed and sunk by the Coast Guard Destroyer Paulding in December 1927.

[1] In June 1931, Hartley was promoted to lieutenant commander and transferred to the wooden-hulled heavy frigate Constitution, the famous Old Ironsides first commissioned in 1798, reconstructed by private contributions and recommissioned in 1930.

Following the departure of Halsey in June 1937, Hartley was promoted to commander and transferred for similar duty to cruiser Salt Lake City under Captain Allan S. Farquhar.

[13] The Day of landing was scheduled on 8 November and Hartley's orders were to transport the elements of the U.S. Army's 9th Infantry and 2nd Armored Divisions; and special engineer units to Mehdya and Wadi Seybouse in the northern part of French Morocco.

On early morning of 8 November, Susan B. Anthony successfully disembarked her troops and unloaded their equipment in relatively good order and Hartley was decorated with the Navy Commendation Medal.

[14] By the end of June 1943 Hartley received orders to prepare for the Invasion of Sicily and Susan B. Anthony was assigned to Transport Division Five under Captain Watson O. Bailey within Attack Group Two under Rear admiral Lyal A. Davidson.

[14] On 11 July, Susan B. Anthony came under fire from enemy twin engine bomber but by the time it had closed within 1,500 yd (1,400 m), her anti-aircraft guns had shot it down in flames.